A traditional Pound Cake recipe would specify one pound each of the following ingredients. These quantities are too great for most modern families, but an excellent cake can be made with half quantities. It is usual to weigh the eggs first and then use the same weights of the other ingredients; with a traditional pair of kitchen scales, the eggs are simply used instead of weights.

Ingredients

½ pound flour
½ pound butter
½ pound eggs (4 eggs)
½ pound sugar
½ pound assorted dried fruit (currants, sultanas, and raisins, with perhaps a lesser quantity of glacé [maraschino] cherries).

Procedure

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
Beat in the eggs.
Gradually sift in the dry ingredients.
Transfer to a greased and floured baking pan.
Bake at 175 °C (350 °F), until a skewer inserted shows no moist crumbs when removed.